4-H Zimbabwe, an organisation works with youths and marginalised societies founded by John Muchenje, has designated the 6th April of every year as a day to commemorate the International Day of Sport for Peace and Development with the inmates as a reflection of their commitment to use sports as a means to foster peace and development within the community.
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This initiative, which was carried out after engaging with the prison authorities, aims to carry out a tournament year by year that not only promotes physical activity but also maintains the mental health of the inmates, a key focus area for the organisation.
Speaking to Zimgospel Masters reporter, Mr. Muchenje expressed that this event is a time to provide mental support to those who are in prisons and to show them that they are not alone through these fellowships.
“On the 6th of April, there was the International Day of Sport for Peace and Development where we said, let us use sport year by year to commemorate with the inmates, to engage, and to promote the physical and mental health of the inmates.
“We know they are always lonely. It was a way of showing to the world that these people, yes, they are convicted, they did commit murder, but that is not the end of the world. Prison is just a way of correcting them. That is why we are doing fellowship with them,” he said.
Mr. Muchenje has called upon other stakeholders to partner with them whenever they are hosting this event, and he also thanked those who partnered with them at this occasion.
This is not the first time 4-H Zimbabwe has made a positive impact within the prison system. In 2021, they successfully launched a garden for inmates at Whawha Prison, providing them with 5000 cabbage seedlings.
“In 2021 we successfully launched a garden for inmates aiming to equip inmates with the skills to earn a living after leaving jail, demonstrating the organisation’s commitment to empower marginalised communities,” said Mr Muchenje.
The organisation achieved remarkable recognition, winning the NGO of the Year award in Monaco, France, for its exceptional use of sports to engage with young people worldwide in 2022. Additionally, they were honoured with the Africa Union award for advancing youth agendas in the region, among other prestigious trophies.
Working on the basis of clear vision, aspire to see a prosperous Zimbabwe where people collectively play significant and meaningful roles in sustainable development and a mission of focusing on empowering and capacitating youths to become responsible, caring, and contributing leaders who can effect positive change in their surroundings.
The organisation’s key thematic areas of focus include food security, sustainable agriculture, climate change action, peace and governance, and a healthy living environment, all of which are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) introduced by the United Nations.
These thematic areas are crucial components of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to address the interconnected challenges of people, planet, and prosperity, as well as to strengthen universal peace and freedom.
In addition to the organisation’s passion for assisting inmates, the church is also contributing significantly to the well-being of the prisoners.
The United Methodist Church’s prison ministry in Zimbabwe leads a baptism programme where about 350 inmates are being baptised at maximum-security prison.
The church also brought supplies for the prisoners, including soap, lotion, footwear, books and food valued at $5,000.
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Maplan Kakoto, Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison superintendent, said the work of the church helps with the rehabilitation of inmates and their reentry into society. (UMC news website).
